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ALMA Operations. Chris Carilli (NAASC Head) John Hibbard (ARC Manager). National Radio Astronomy Observatory. NRAO Users Committee Meeting – May 20-21, 2008. 1. Response to UC Questions. “What are the plans for the NAASC? . NAASC Staffing. NA ARC Operations: (2) ARC Head & Admin. Asst.;
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ALMA Operations Chris Carilli (NAASC Head) John Hibbard (ARC Manager) National Radio Astronomy Observatory NRAO Users Committee Meeting – May 20-21, 2008 1
Response to UC Questions • “What are the plans for the NAASC?
NAASC Staffing NA ARC Operations: • (2) ARC Head & Admin. Asst.; • (12) Astronomers/Scientist – proposal functions, AoD, documentation, user support; • (5) DB Manager, developers, techs – archive functions; Total NA ARC Ops: 19 employees Full Science Support: • (3) NAASC Head & business support • (5) Advanced User Support: workshops, schools, algorithm development (3 astronomers, 2 astronomical programmers) • (7) ALMA Postdocs & Fellows; • (2) Pre-doctoral students; • (5) EPO (International, Chilean, U.S.) • (6) Office of Chilean Affairs Additional NAASC: 19 + 9 students/postdocs ALMA Technical Support: • (12 FTE) Engineer/tech – hardware M&R • (17.5 FTE) Programmers – software M&R Total Technical support: 29.5 FTE Total NAASC: 67.5 + 9 students/postdocs
2008 Start of Antenna Integration and Verification (AIV) work at OSF. • early 2009 Three antenna array at high site. Start of Commissioning • and Science Verification (CSV). • late 2010 Start of early science operations. • late 2012 Start full science operations.
NAASC Activities 2008 Activities • Hiring (2 CSV, EPO, CASA Developer, JAO positions in Chile) • Update NAASC plan to AOP Vers. D • Participate in CSV at ATF and OSF • Test ALMA user software systems (observing tool, CASA, pipeline). • Support CASA development: establish CASA helpdesk; hire CASA developer. First tutorial associated with beta release held Oct. 2007 in Socorro. Next will be at Synthesis Imaging Summer School in June 2008 in Socorro. • Proto-Archive implementation plan (deploy 2009Q1 in C’ville to receive CSV data) • Participate in Chilean ops planning through SciOps IPT • Finalize the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with our Canadian partners. • Hire EPO specialist, and review/revision of ALMA web pages • Working visits to other Science centers: compare and coordinate (“Lessons Learned” visits to STScI, SSC; extended visit to SSC) • ANASAC: Address key issues in NAm ALMA ops through formal charges • Third Science Workshop: http://www.cv.nrao.edu/naasc/massive08/ • Continue science talks at North American institutions • AAS townhall presentations
3rd NAASC Science WorkshopSept 25-27 2008Charlottesvillehttp://www.cv.nrao.edu/naasc/massive08/
NAASC Staffing 2008 Staffing • Full time staff: C. Carilli (AD), J. Hibbard (ARC manager), C.Brogan (CASA subsystem scientist) • Two 50/50 appointments made with UVa -- A. Evans, R. Indebetouw (community outreach, CASA user support) • Support 3 FTE CASA programmers • Support 0.5 FTE business support, 40% admin assist, 25% postdoc New Hires • CSV hires (2): First to start June 2008 (A. Remijan), second offer made • CASA developer hire: Offer made/declined. Postdoc in Fall? • ALMA EPO officer: to start Aug 2008 (J. Stoke from STScI) • Jansky Fellow: to start Sep 2008 in CV (B. Kent) Transfers • H. Liszt Q4 (75%) • T. Hunter Q4 (25%)
Response to UC Questions • “What are the plans for the NAASC? How will it relate to the proposed Array Science Center in Socorro and what are the plans for that facility?”
NAASC & NM Ops & GBT Ops • “Towards Integrated NRAO Operations” (see summary by D. Frail) • Share what can easily be shared (CASA development between ALMA & EVLA; PST between EVLA/VLBA/GBT; EPO; OSAA; NTC; E2E/VO) • Develop new functionality closely associated with specific facility, but with a view of sharing when appropriate (Archive, helpdesk) • Keep tasks that require intimate connection with telescope closely associated with that telescope (technical feasibility, observing modes, helpdesk “level 2”) • As processes, idiosyncrasies and workflow are understood, use E2E to deploy sharable tasks across the Observatory (helpdesk triage & level 1, sb verification)
Response to UC Questions • “We had endorsed the ALMA Users Grant Program through NSF and request an update on the status of this”
User Grants Program ANASAC Endorsed $6M/yr user data analysis grants program • Grants tied to successful observing proposals • Bottom-up and top-down analysis for amount (ANASAC): would provide average of $2500/hr for US astronomers, with support ranging from grad student, through postdoc, salary, and resources for complex programs • Strongly endorsed by Decadal Report for all new NSF facilities Broad Community support: • Future of Radio Astronomy Committee, McCray/AUI, Letter to NSF • Bally and colleagues open letter to AAS president • ANASAC letter to NSF and NAS • Users committee report to NRAO • AURA initiative? Not included by NSF in NAASC budget recommended to NSB • NSF Response: Establish a high-level committee to consider user grants with observing time on new, large ground based facilities
NAASC Community Support Reworked NAASC budget to include: • page charge support • support for data reduction trips to the NAASC • support for students working with ALMA data, similar to the GBT and VLBA student support program (ramping up to a total of 12 students per year). • The NAASC will support 4 Jansky Fellows, who may choose to be stationed at U.S. Universities.